Wrench



(No Model.)

' M. M. LE MAY.

WRENCHL Patented Dec. 14,1897.

Nrrnn STATES Fries@ i ATENT MARCUS M. LE MAY, OF TOWN CREEK, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MANOAH BOSTIOK HAMPTON, OF LEIGHTON, ALABAMA.

WRENCH.

SFECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 595,638, dated. December 14, 1897- Application iled December 7, 1896.` Serial No. 614,755. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t 11i/ay concern,.-

Be it known that I, MARCUS M. LE MAY, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Town Creek, in the county 'of Lawrence and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Wrenches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in wrenches, and has more particular relation to wrenches adapted to be adjusted to it anysized nut or bolt. l

The invention consists of certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, all of which will be hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figurel represents a side elevation of a wrench embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents acentral vertical section through the same. Fig. 3 represents an enlarged detail perspective view of the racked shank and its rigid jaw. Fig. 4 represents an enlarged detail perspective view of the sliding jaw and its pendent racked lugs. Fig. 5 represents an enlarged detail central vertical section through the rotatable clamping-sleeve, and Fig; 6 represents an enlarged detail perspective view of the stop-sleeve.

A in the drawings represents the shank carrying the rigid jaw; B, the sliding jaw; C, the rotatable sleeve; D, the stop-sleeve, and E the handle. The said shank A is preferably lat and is provided with a round reduced portion a, upon which the handle E of any suitable material is adapted to be applied by means of a locking-nut e, that screws onto the'end of said shank. The flat portion a of said shank is provided on diametricallyroppof site sides with racks or projections a2, each ot said projections having one end beveled, as at a3, for a purpose hereinafter described. A rigid jaw 0,4 is secured to the upper end of the said shank A. The sliding jaw B is provided with an aperture through which the shank A is adapted to pass and also with spaced pendent lugs b, adapted to lie against the respective opposite flat sides of the shank A when said jaw is applied thereon. The upper portions ofsaid lugs are provided with spaced projections or racks b. The said lugs l) are segmental in cross-section, as are also the projections d3, so that when said sliding jaw is applied on the shank A4 their respective racks approximately form circles upon whichV the rotatable sleeve C is mounted. This sleeve C is provided internally upon diametrically opposite sides with spaced projec- 6o K tions or racks c, each of which is beveled at one end, as at c. The said projections or racks c are adapted to engage the projections or racks a2 and b', formed upon the shank and pendentstuds ot' the sliding jaws, respec- 65 tively.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that when the said rotatable sleeve is applied on the shank A the same may be slid along said-shank by simply rotating said 7o sleeve so as to bring its projections c out of mesh with the projections o2, formed upon said shank, and into mesh with the projections formed upon the pendent arms of the sliding jaw. This engagement of the sleeve with the sliding jaw causes thevsaid jaw to move with said sleeve when the latter is slid along the shank A. When the sliding jaw has been adjusted to the desired position, a slight rotation of the sleeve C will cause this 8o projection c to engage the projections a?, formed upon the shank A, and thus lock the said sleeve and the sliding jaw rigidly in position. The beveled ends a3 and c of the respecti ve projections assistin causing said pro- 8 5 jections to exactly mesh when the said rotatable sleeve is operated to lock the sliding jaw in position. In order to limit the movement of the said rotatable sleeve O when its racks are in the proper relative position to 9o either the projections upon the pendent arms b or those of the shank A, I provide the stopsleeve D. This sleeve is rigidly secured to the lower ends of the pendent arms b and is provided with a recess d, in which a stoplug c2, formed upon-the rotatable sleeve C, is adapted to operate. The said lug c2 by itsl contact with the opposite ends of the recess CZ limits the rotation of said sleeve O, and thus permits of the slidingjaw being adjusted Ioo and locked instantly Without any calculation as to the relative positions of the respective projections or threads.

The handle E is provided with an aperture e', by means of which it is passed over the reduced portion a of the shank and secured in position by the locking-nut e.

It will be further observed that when it is desired to adj ust the sliding jaw of the Wrench the sleeve O is simply rotated until the stoplug c2 contacts with one end of the recess d. The said sliding jaw may then be moved up or down to the desired position, and when adjusted to said position is locked in place by rotating the sleeve C backward until the stoplug c2 contacts with the opposite end of said recess d. The adjustment is thus instantaneous, as the jaw B may be moved up until it contacts with the nut or bolt and then locked instantly in position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a Wrench,the combination with a shank carrying a rigid jaw, of racks formed upon diametrically opposite sides of said shank, a sliding jaw mounted on said shank and provided upon diametrically opposite sides with racks,a rotatable sleeve mounted on said sliding jaw and provided internally upon diametrically opposite sides with racks, said sleeve being adapted to lock either with the shank carrying the rigid jaw or the racks of the sliding jaw.

2. In a Wrench,tl1e combination with a shank carrying a rigid jaw, of racks formed on opposite sides of said shank, a sliding jaw lnounted on said shank and provided with pendent arms having racks formed thereon, a rotatable sleeve mounted on said pendent arms and formed with racks adapted to engage either the racks of the shank or the racks of the pendent arms, and a stop-sleeve mounted on the lower ends of the pendent arms and adapted to limit the rotation of the first-mentioned sleeve so as to cause the engagement of its racks with the engagement of the racks of either the shanks or the pendent arms, substantially as described.

3. In a Wrencl1,tl1e combination with a shank having a rigid jaw, of racks formed upon diametrically opposite sides of said shank, a handle mounted on said shank, a sliding jaw also mounted on said shank, pendent spaced arms mounted on said jaw and adapted to lic against the smooth sides of said shank, racks formed on said arms, a rotatable sleeve mounted on said arms and shank and formed upon diametrically opposite sides with racks adapted to engage the before-mentioued racks respectively, a sleeve rigidly secured to the lower ends of said pendent arms and formed with a segmental recess, and a projection mounted on the rotatable sleeve and adapted to play in said recess to limit the rotation of said rotatable sleeve and cause its racks to exactly engage with the respective racks of the shank or pendent arms.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specication in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

MARCUS M. LE MAY.

Witnesses:

J. NV. MAYFIELD, J. L. LYNDoN, 

